Never Alone
by phantom'slover28
Summary: She has been left alone. He was gone and no sign to where he could be. The ones she has always known as family have vanished. That leaves one person left to turn to... Could this go terribly right, or terribly wrong? (M to be safe experimenting with different content).
1. Chapter 1

She was alone. Well not completely alone, but in a sense still alone. Erik was gone. Christine felt used and betrayed. So why did she still love him? She had cried. She had searched. She never found him though. He couldn't be dead. She just knew he wasn't. A month had passed by since that one night of passion shared between them. Christine knew she couldn't stay there under the opera much longer. The food supply Erik had was running thin. But who could she go to? Erik was gone. Meg and her mother were gone. If she knew where the Daroga was she could possibly ask him for help, but she feared he wouldn't understand. That left, him. She hadn't spoken with him since the night the opera burnt down. Would he even understand? Did he even want to see her? He probably hated her. She proclaimed her love for Erik and he let her leave. Was that a sign of love? Or was it just him letting her go so he didn't have to hear it anymore?

The carriage stopped. Christine took a deep breath and climbed out. She paid the driver and walked up the steps. After a moment of just staring she knocked on the door. She couldn't believe she was doing this. A young girl answered the door in her maid uniform. "Is your master home?"

"Yes ma'am. Is he expecting you?" She asked.

"No, but I'm an old friend." The girl nodded and let Christine in. Christine followed her up the stairs to an office where he stood at the window drink in one hand and papers in the other. As his blue eyes looked over the papers the maid spoke.

"Sir, there's someone here to see you."

He looked up then behind the maid. After a moment of staring he sat his drink and papers down. "Thank you Lola. That will be all." He said finally looking at the girl. Lola nodded, curtsied, then left. Christine stepped into the room. He just stared at her. He took a deep breath then finally said, "Hello Christine."

"Hello Raoul."

Another moment passed as they just stared at one another. "Please, come in the rest of the way and shut the door. I feel it's something important you want to talk about." He said. Christine nodded then shut the door. "I honestly didn't expect to see you again."

"I know." She said.

"How is he? Did you find him?"

Christine couldn't look at Raoul and say this. "Yes, I found him. Not long after I left I found him. Then about two months ago he left. I haven't seen him since." She explained starting to tear up.

Raoul sighed and moved to her taking her in his arms. "I'm sorry." Was all he could manage to say in that moment, but Christine knew that he was sincere.

"There's something else too." She said and he pulled away some to look at her.

"What is it?"

"Raoul," She didn't know how to say it so with a deep nervous breathe she blurted out, "Raoul I'm pregnant." He was shocked, and he could see in her eyes she was scared. He backed away some just looking at her. "You're the only one I've told." Raoul leaned against his desk taking it all in. "Please, if you wish to scold me then tell me to leave and find help elsewhere. You and I used to tell each other everything. I see no reason why we can't now. You are still my best friend Raoul, and I just needed to tell someone." He was still silent, but the look of shock had now become a look of thought. "Raoul, I'm sorry," She began then his head finally shot up.

"For what?" He asked. He scoffed and shook his head. "I'm the one at fault here, and so is Erik."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm the one that let you leave. I thought he had every intention to marry you. I never thought that he would do you like this. I never thought he would leave you like this." Raoul shook his head and stood up going to the window. "I should track him down and make him hurt for this."

"Raoul, I still love him." Raoul turned around quickly and just looked at her. "I can't explain it I just do."

Raoul sighed. He understood. He hated that he understood, but he couldn't deny that he did. "So what now?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I was thinking about going home to Sweden. I can start a new there. Raise the baby in a good place." She smiled. "Show it where you and I used to play."

Raoul smiled some then shook his head. "Christine while it is a lovely idea you don't have to leave. You can stay here."

"I can't stay here in France. Everyone knows me and what's happened. They expect me to either marry you or kill myself."

"Then why don't you marry me?"

"What?! Raoul I don't-"

"Love me, I know. But think about it. I haven't yet told my family that our engagement was called off. I don't want you to be hurt in anyway for having the child out of wedlock, and I don't want the baby hurt either. You can marry me and we can play it up. Take a long honeymoon come back and say it was one hell of a night." Christine laughed. He walked to her taking her hands. "I'll claim the child as mine. No one has to know."

"And what if Erik comes back? I don't want to keep the truth of his child from him."

Raoul nodded. "Then after I make the left side of his face match the right, you can tell him and go with him if you want." Christine smiled and chuckled. "You may not love me Christine, but I love you. And this baby is apart of you." He said caressing her stomach. "I will love it like it was my own, and if Erik comes back I will release and you the child. It will be hard, but all I want is you happy. And if being with Erik does that, then who I am to stand in the way?"

"And if he never comes back?"

"Then I will spend the rest of my life making sure you and this baby are comfortable and happy. I will never let you or the child know what it's like to be unloved by me. And if he doesn't return, I will somehow make you fall in love with me Christine, or die trying. You will never worry or doubt with me by your side. Like you said, we were once so close and we still are best friends. I will always make sure you are taken care of Little Lotte. Always."

Christine smiled wide at him. "What will your family say? They don't like me as is."

Raoul took in a deep breath. "I don't care." Christine laughed. "Being with you has always brought me joy Christine. Why let them stop me now?"

"How would we do it?"

"Runaway. Elope and send them a postcard. That way they have no time to yell at us." They both laughed that time. "So, what do you say?"

Christine laughed a little then looked him in the eyes. She had hurt him so many times but those blue eyes always looked at her the same. "Yes."

"You won't be sorry. I promise."

* * *

They hated it. Raoul did exactly what he told Christine they would do. Eloped, but instead of his family finding out through a postcard they found out through the morning paper. Raoul and Christine posed for a reporter, said a few words, then left.

Philippe and his father sat at the dining table in silence as Philippe read the article for the third time. Tessa, the middle De Chaney child, came in with a smile. "Good morning all." She said then stopped looking at the men strangely. "Everything alright this morning?" She looked over to an empty seat then to her father. "Where's Raoul?"

Philippe sighed then their father said, "You best sit down for this one."

With a scrunched face she sat next to Philippe. "What's happened?" She asked somewhat worried.

"This has happened." Philippe said showing her the paper. Her expression changed from worry to confusion, then finally to anger.

"You cannot be serious." Raoul's sister Tessa said looking at Philippe's paper.

"You better believe it." Philippe said grumpily.

Tessa just sat there for a minute confused. Then she looked to her father. "What are we going to do?"

Philippe looked at her confused. "What do you mean, 'what are we going to do'?"

"Exactly what I asked." She said glaring at him for questioning her.

"Nothing." Their father replied.

Tessa's eyes shot to her father in shock. "What do you mean nothing?"

"Exactly what I said. Nothing."

Tessa threw herself out of the chair at the dining table pacing for a brief moment then finally looking back at her father. "So you mean to tell me that all of those threats you made were empty?" She asked getting angrier by the second.

"I believed that those threats would get rid of her which I thought they did, up until now that is." He replied.

Tessa just glared not wanting to believe this was happening. Philippe huffed. "Do you honestly want that to happen Tess?" Philippe asked. "Do you really want us to turn out own brother because of this? Do you honestly want Raoul out on the streets?"

She scoffed and crossed her arms not wanting to answer the question. She turned away going to the window. "I just can't believe that he would risk everything to marry that common whore!"

"Now Tess that's enough." Their father said from the head of the table.

She turned around and scoffed. "That's all she is! Do you honestly agree with this father?!"

"Of course not. But Raoul can make his own bad decisions. He'll come to his senses eventually, and when he does, well, I hear divorce has become more and more of a common thing." He chuckled some taking a sip of his tea.

Tessa huffed again crossing her arms again and rolling her eyes. "I do not want her in this family. Period."

"I am well aware Tessa, but we will have to put up with her for now." Their father said.

"It's not like he's saying you have to like her Tess." Philippe said getting up. "Like it or not she's a De Chaney now. A Viscountess if you will." Philippe said chuckling knowing that it would irritate her.

She gave him a death glare then looked back to her father. "I will not have a little nothing outrank me!" She yelled then stormed out letting out a scream of frustration as she entered the foyer going up the stairs.

"Well, that could have gone better." Philippe said.

"I do believe your comment could have gone amiss." The father replied.

"I don't see the big deal." Philippe said and shrugged. "I mean I'm not her biggest fan either, and I do not like how it was so hurried, but I honestly can you blame Raoul? We have all been breathing down his neck for God knows how long about finding a girl, he finds one and actually loves her, then we all hate her and give him hell about it. I would elope too."

"Christine is not the image this family needs and you know that."

"Well, she's the image this family got, and you know that." Philippe replied leaving the room.

* * *

 _ **Something different from what I normally do. It's a story idea I've had in my head for a long while. Let me know what you all think! Until next time my lovelies! Kisses! B Kate**_


	2. Chapter 2

Christine was laying curled up next to Raoul as they traveled in the carriage through the country side of Sweden. It wouldn't be long now before they reached the De Changey house. Raoul saw a glimpse of sunlight on the horizon they had officially been traveling all night. He didn't rest long during their journey like Christine had. He chuckled at the fact that she had been asleep since they left France. As they came upon the house Christine finally began to stir. Raoul smiled at her as she sat up. "Good morning."

She smiled back, "Good morning."

"You're just in time we're here." Raoul said.

She leaned over him looking out the window smiling more. The carriage came to a halt and Raoul opened the door climbing out. He turned and helped Christine out then shut the door walking to the driver. "Thank you, Emmet. I know it wasn't easy. Go ahead and take the horses to the stables, then tell Cedric to gather our bags. After that get, yourself some rest. You've earned it my friend." Emmet smiled down at Raoul and nodded telling the horses to move on.

Raoul turned and looked at Christine who just smiled up at the giant house. Raoul walked up to her and she giggled turning to him taking his hand. "It's just as I remember."

Raoul laughed with her. Then a pudgy looking woman came out of the front doors with a rather worried look. She curtsied then said, "I'm sorry sir, but we didn't expect you until much later. We haven't yet finished uncovering everything."

"It's perfectly alright Madame April. I didn't expect us to be this early myself. I honestly didn't expect you and Cedric to get it down all by yourselves any way." He said with a light chuckle.

"Monsieur Viscount you will not be doing anything to help." She said sternly and Raoul laughed. "You are here to relax with your bride, not clean." Christien even had to laugh.

Raoul smiled. "Christine, you remember Madame April."

"Of course." Christine said with a smile.

"I was so delighted when I heard the news. I just knew even when you two were younger that you would somehow end up together." Madame said grinning. Christine lost some of her smile and glanced at Raoul. She felt guilty. She felt as if she was just using him and she didn't like that thought one bit because that's what Raoul's family thought of her anyway. "Although we haven't finished most of the rooms we did manage to get the bedrooms in order for you both." Christine wanted to question why she said 'bedrooms' instead of 'bedroom', but decided against it. Madame April led them into the house. Christine looked all around trying to focus on other things. She looked into the great room where there were sofas, chairs, and tables covered with white sheets. Then she looked over to where she remembered there being a dining room, but the doors were shut.

Madame led them up the stairs and to the right down the hall. Christine couldn't help but look behind them at the other end of the hallway. She squinted as she couldn't quite remember what was down that way. Raoul nudged her drawing her attention. "You alright?"

Christine smiled. "Yes, of course." Raoul nodded and watched as Christine took one more glance then looked ahead again.

Madame opened the double doors at the end of the hall and stood by them as Raoul and Christine entered the room. "Cedric has brought the bags to the other chambers." Christine looked curiously at Madame April. "The ladies chamber, Viscountess Christine, is the door to the right of the hall when you leave this room. Then Raoul, in case you forgot, the men's is on the left." Raoul smiled and nodded. "I'm sure you both are hungry. I will let the kitchen staff know you have arrived. Will you want it in here or the dining room?"

"If the dining room has yet to be cleared we will have our meal in here." Raoul replied.

"Sir, we will gladly clear the dining area-"

"No. I will have no rushing about." Raoul interrupted. "We will eat in here."

Madame April chuckled and shook her head then looked at Christine. "Impossible man this one."

"Don't I know it." Christine replied. Then Madame April was gone. Christine turned and started looking around the room.

"Christine are you sure everything is alright?" Raoul said frowning some. She wasn't acting right.

She smiled looking at him, but he knew it was fake. "Of course. I'm fine."

"Christine,"

She sighed losing her smile. "I don't know." She replied climbing onto the bed sitting cross legged. Raoul sat next to her. "This all just feels strange. I know I'm legally your wife now, but I'm technically not and, I don't know. When I think about it I've become exactly what your family thought I would be."

"What?!" Raoul said with a scrunched somewhat annoyed face.

"They always said that I was just with you so I could use you. And I feel that's what I'm doing. Using you for protection." She explained.

"No!" Raoul fussed then looked away from her for a moment. He sighed and shook his head then looked back at her. "You are not using me in anyway Christine. I offered this life to you. We are legally married and I will treat you as my wife. If you do not see me as a husband that is fine, as long as you always see me as your friend. Because ultimately that is what marriage is. Lifelong friends, and that's what we planned to be anyhow."

"Alright." Was all she could say.

"Any other concerns you would like to voice?" He asked.

"Why do we have three rooms?" Raoul laughed, but Christine was serious and he knew she was.

"It's how things are in upper class. I'm still not sure why, but it is." He said still laughing. "Besides I figured you would be more comfortable that way."

Christine smiled loving how he was so considerate. "But don't we have to keep up the appearance that we are actually married?"

"Not here." Raoul replied with a smile.

"What do you mean?"

Raoul sighed. "This house has always been my getaway. After my mother died I was the only one out of the three of us that still came here often. The staff here was always either the staff my mother grew up with or the staff that grew up with my mother. I'm not going to lie, I was always the favorite." Christine laughed. He loved hearing her laugh. "Madame April knows everything."

"Everything?" Christine said nervously.

"Yes. But you don't have to worry. She won't tell a soul." Raoul said. "This is where we met. Where we brought to life this amazing friendship. I want this to be a place you feel free to be yourself no matter how much my family may hate it." Christine then began to smile again.

"You mean it?" She asked.

"Absolutely." Raoul replied enjoying her smile.

"You know I've never been fake married before but I feel this is going to be fun." She said jokingly and they laughed.

* * *

Not long after they ate Raoul said he was going to try and get some sleep since he didn't sleep much on their journey. He reminded Christine where the library was and how it get to the gardens. Raoul frankly wasn't sure if anyone had gotten any of the other rooms fixed up yet. After Raoul went into his room Christine ventured off set for the library. It was just through the two grand doors at the top of the stairs they came up. Christine started to enter but then the other end of the hallway caught her eye. She squinted still unable to remember what was down there. The hall wasn't very well lit. None of the lamps were lit down the hall and the only light was that through the slightly opened curtains on the windows lined down the hall.

Christine wasn't sure if it would be alright for her to wander rooms that Raoul said probably weren't ready. With a heavy sigh, she walked into the library. Christine didn't know where to start in the large library. "The best ones are always put on top." she remembered Erik said once when she had to pick an opera for them to rehearse. Christine gave a small smile then climbed the spiral staircase between the fireplace and balcony door. She smiled at the rows of books and walked down the row letting her fingers skim across the spine of each book. There were eight shelves and Christine kept her gaze at the seventh and eighth shelves. There was one that looked beaten and had little dust on it compared to the others on the eighth shelf. "Always put on top." She quoted in a whisper a smile still playing on her lips.

She stood on her toes to reach the book then opened it to find the title. The Italian. She remembered once seeing Erik read it as well as once seeming Madame Giry read it. Obviously, it had been favored by some people in this home since it was so worn. Christine walked down the stairs flipping through to the first page of the story then curled up on the sofa in the center of the room.

Christine hardly moved as she read until she noticed her eyes were straining some. She took a deep breath and looked up blinking. She looked at the balcony glass doors she saw that the sun was fixing to set. She hadn't realized it had gotten so late. She grabbed a small piece of paper from the table in front of her placing it in the book then setting it on the table deciding Raoul was probably awake and hungry by now so she should probably go find him. She stretched realizing how stiff she was, then stood up. The other end of the hall caught her eye again. She looked down toward her's and Raoul's room. He hasn't come looking for me yet. She thought, then started down the dim hallway. There were no doors along this hallway and it was shorter. At the end was a grand double door. Christine expected it to be locked, but when she turned the nob of the door it opened. She heisted a moment then pushed the door open.

A ballroom. No wonder she couldn't remember the end of this hallway she had never been down here. She looked around as the sun shined just right into the room. There were, what she assumed to be, pieces of furniture covered with white sheets. She saw a black stool and something rather large covered up. Christine was drawn to it. She looked back at the door wondering if anyone even cared where she was or that she was in here. She then looked back at the covered object and grabbed the dusty sheet pulling it. Dust swirled around her as she gazed upon a beautiful black grand piano. She gently touched the cold smooth surface, running her fingers down the front grazing the keys. Then she wondered again.

She hit a note. Then another. A cord.

Christine looked back at the door. She didn't hear any footsteps rushing to come stop her. So, she put her attention back on the piano playing another cord smiling then sat down still playing. The music took her away. It swept her out of this place. Back to the opera. Back to the underground home. Back to Erik. She could see him. She could feel him. The way his hands used to guide hers on his piano. She could hear his soft laugh when she would mess up on an easy cord of a song. She wondered if he knew she did it on purpose so she could have his touch. She saw his hands glide across the keys when they practiced. She heard his stern voice correcting her. She saw him how he was when she came back. She heard the love in his voice. She remembered what it was like that week. She remembered how his touch was as they lay together in bed. She saw the love in his eyes. The want. The need. She saw it all. She felt it all. She remembered it all.

Then all of a sudden, it was gone. She looked up as she played the last note. She was still here. She was still without Erik.

"That was beautiful." Christine quickly turned seeing Raoul in the doorway. His voice echoed some in the large empty room. He smiled at her. "I hope I'm not disturbing you." She shook her head as he walked to her. "That was truly beautiful Christine." Raoul said nearing her.

"Thank you. Clair du Lunei." She smiled looking at the keys. "Erik taught it to me." She laughed. "I used to future it to get on his nerves. He normally just laughed at me though." She looked up realizing she said that out loud, then looked at Raoul. "I'm sorry. I'm sure you don't want to hear about him."

Raoul smiled at her still and shrugged. "It's alright to talk about him Christine." She just stared at Raoul. "The baby will have some parts of Erik. I think it would be nice to hear some stories of him."

Christine's lips played a slight smile. "Really?"

"Really. I want you to feel that you can tell me anything Christine. I don't want you to ever feel you have to hide something from me." He replied.

She smiled wider at him. "Thank you."

* * *

Christine and Raoul ate then just sat and talked for the longest time. Most of their topics ended in laughs. Christine was surprised how little she had recalled Erik throughout the dinner. She felt in away guilty that she hadn't thought about him more, but then she suddenly remembered that it hurt to think of him.

The storm started late in the evening long after they had gone to bed. Christine was still very much a child and feared storms. She hated the crackle of the thunder and the flash of the lightning. She was curled up tightly under the blankets in her room flinching every time she would hear the thunder then closed her eyes tight before she could see the lightning. Christine shrieked and shot up when she heard a crash from the master bedroom connected to hers. She stared at the door leading to the room waiting for another noise or someone to burst in. Curiosity overwelled her. She stood up hoping that this wouldn't land her in trouble. Christine put her hand on the doorknob then took a deep breathe opening the door.

She gasped and cried out when she saw the window had flown open and was waving back and forth. She ran over trying to shut it but the wind was too strong. Christine feared she would have to give up. She then heard a light chuckle and turned her head to see Raoul walking out of his room. "What are you doing?" He asked laughing.

"Get over here and help me shut this!" She yelled.

Raoul laughed and came up to help. She was mad because he made it look so easy. "What were you doing?"

Christine sighed. "It flew open. I heard it from my room." Raoul nodded as Christine flinched at another clap of thunder.

He smiled at her. "Are you still afraid of them?"

She nodded very much like a child. "I've never stopped being afraid." She smiled some. "When I was at the opera Erik would always be there during a storm. He would sing to me, and if that didn't work, he would hold me until I fell asleep."

Raoul gave her a sad smile. He had told her it would be alright to talk about him, but the part of Raoul that truly hoped she would one day love him hurt when she spoke of Erik.

She sighed. "I'm sorry."

"No. It's fine. I told you I would be fine." He replied and she couldn't help but smile at him. "I wouldn't ever dream of singing you to sleep," He said after a moment and she laughed. "But if you would like, I would be happy to hold you for the night."

Christine looked at him sort of shocked. "Raoul I -"

"No funny business. I swear. Just us in a bed." After a moment of thought Christine nodded, but said she would change first as she was now soaked from the waist down due to the rain. When she returned Raoul was already in the bed attempting to sleep. She was amused at how easily he fell asleep during the storm. Christine hesitantly climbed into the bed. She had only ever shared a bed with Erik, and that always ended with them naked. A part of her was afraid Raoul would want more of her. After all it was their wedding night. But she also knew that Raoul would always honor the agreement they came to before they married.

As she lay there with her back to him, his presence was already soothing her. Then a large crack of thunder rang out and she jumped a little curling up into a ball again closing her eyes tight. After a moment she felt an arm come around her pulling her close. "I won't let anything happen to either of you. I promise." Raoul whispered in her ear. She believed him.

Christine finally relaxed against him and drifted off to sleep. It was a dreamless sleep. There was no Erik. No Raoul. No baby. No worry. There was nothing in her mind. She was calm. Christine was for this moment at peace.


End file.
